According to a new study from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), the U.S. Department of Energy can enforce proposed regulations for improving the power consumption of the United States without harming the country's economy. The new standards are currently being researched by the White House Office of Management and Budget, which will likely be released to the general public sometime in June.

The proposed standards – which are part of President Barack Obama's overall climate initiative for his final years in office – would limit the amount of carbon dioxide that can be released into the atmosphere by existing power plants. These new regulations will be enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under a section of the Clean Air Act, which was last amended in 1990.

The study shows how the EPA could implement several common energy efficiency policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent over the next two decades. By the year 2030, these regulations would stop a projected 600 million tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere and reduce overall electricity demand by 25 percent.

Opponents of these regulations argue that EPA oversight would harm the U.S. economy. To the contrary, the ACEEE found that these actions would actually be greatly beneficial for the jobs sector. The organization projects that the national gross domestic product would increase $17.2 billion, as well as creating over 600,000 new jobs by 2030. Clean energy would help both the planet and the unemployed.

If you live in Maryland and are interested in increasing your house's own energy efficiency, schedule an appointment with Alban Inspections today. As an experienced home inspection company, our team of professionals will help you identify the areas where you are unknowingly wasting electricity and power.